Inside the Numbers-Amare Stoudemire in the Post Season

Clutch: n.
1. the crucial moment that comes between winning and losing

(Derived from the clutch mechanism in a manual car, where perfect timing can mean the difference between a launch and a stall)

(Thanks to Urban Dictionary)

Most of us sports fans can recognize the difference between a good player and an MVP type of player. The difference is usually that a player transcends his usual greatness by performing beyond his usual level of play when there is much more at stake than just a regular season contest. In short, we can often differentiate the good players and the great players by their post season performance.

Amare Stoudemire has elevated his level of play this season-there is no doubt. But does this speak to what his postseason performance will look like? One way to predict this is to look at his career post season numbers. Here is what Amare has done in the postseason:

The 20 year old rookie of the year played 82 regular season games and established himself as a starter in the Suns lineup.

Notable Playoff Games:

• In the first playoff game in his career, versus the San Antonio Spurs, Amare dropped 24 points while grabbing 9 rebounds and rejecting 2 shots and shooting 9-13 from the field. The Suns picked up a W in a 96-95 nail biter. As a meaningless side note, Scott Williams started at the 5, in 13 minutes he scored 2 points and picked up 4 rebounds.
• In the final game of the series, in which the Suns lost 87-85 and the series, Amare picked up 28 points and 10 rebounds. Added to that are 3 assists, 3 steals, and a block. His effort wasn't enough as Anfernee Hardaway, Shawn Marion, and Stephon Marbury went a combined 18-53 from the field.

YEAR	MPG	PPG	RPG	BLK
2005	40	29.9	10.6	2.0

Notable Playoff Games:

• Game 2 vs. Memphis. Amare went 34 and 10 including 18-22 from the charity stripe in a Suns 108-103 victory over Pau and the Grizzlies. Steve Nash dropped in 12 points and 15 assists.
• Game 3 vs. the Grizz. Amare went for 30 and 9 in 37 minutes while 11-19 from the field.
• Game 1 versus the Mavericks. After dispatching the Grizzlies, the Suns faced Dallas. Amare hit for 40 and 16 including 2 blocks as the Suns crushed Dallas by 25 points.
• Game 2 Vs. Dallas. MAX hit for 30 and 16, including 7 offensive rebounds 12-17 from the line.
• Game 3 Vs. Dallas. Max scored 37 points, 14 rebounds, and 5 blocks. Nash went for 27 points and 17 assists as the Suns crushed the Mavericks 119-102.
• Game 5 versus the Mavericks. Amare hit for 33 points and 18 rebounds. Amare went 13-15 from the line in 44 minutes as Stevie Nash went for a triple double-34/12/13. If you were wondering, Walter McCarty played 8 minutes and went 0-2 with 1 rebound.
• Amare Stoudemire diced the Spurs in the next round, going for 41,37,34,31,and 42. In the final game, Stoudemire pulled down 16 rebounds and rejected 6 shots in a monster 46 minute effort. Not surprising, Mike D'Antoni went 7 players deep, and the Suns lost the game 101-95, and later the series, 4-1 to the Spurs. Blech.
  
  

YEAR	MPG	PPG	RPG	BLK
2007	33.8	25.3	12.3	1.9

Notable Playoff Games:

• By 2007, Amare Stoudemire was no longer a youngster or potential phenom. He was the real deal. In the first round versus the Lakers, Amare never scored below 20 nor did he grab less than 9 rebounds. His top effort of the series was a 27 point 21 rebound performance in game 4. Steve Nash dished a ridiculous 23 times, Shawn Marion tossed in 22 points and 11 rebounds in a 113-100 victory over Los Angeles.
• In the next and final round, Amare was his typical Spur-killer self with 20 points, 28 boards and 5 blocks in game 1 (a loss), and again in game 5 with 38 points, 4 blocks, and 12 rebounds in 40 minutes, (another loss-the final one as the Spurs won the series 3-2)

YEAR	MPG	PPG	RPG	BLK
2008	40	23.2	9	12

Notable Playoff Games:

• The Suns went one and out against the Spurs in 2008, but Amare arguably wasn't the reason why the Suns lost, although he shot a combined 9-25 in the last two games of the series. Stoudemire began the series scoring 33 and grabbing 7 rebounds in the first two match ups. In game 4, he struggled from the field, going 3-11 but the Suns still managed to crush the Spurs by 19. Gordon Giricek matched Amare's offensive output with 7 points.

Amare Stoudemire Career Playoff Statistics

PLAYOFF GAMES	MPG	PPG	RPG	BLK
36	36.6	25.1	10.4	1.9

Amare Stoudemire Career Regular Season Statistics

CAREER GAMES	MPG	PPG	RPG	BLK
516	34.3	21.4	8.9	1.4

It's pretty clear that Amare Stoudemire takes his game to a new level in the playoffs. Let's hope history repeats itself, X 10. What do you think?